« Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated the Liturgy in the Parish of St. Ksenia of St.Petersburg in Leeds »

On October 12, 2024, the day of remembrance of the Holy Martyr John, Archbishop of Riga (1934), His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, while on an archpastoral visit to the diocesan district of Northern England, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Parish of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg in Leeds.

At the entrance to the ancient Anglican Church of St. Matthew the Apostle, which is provided to the Orthodox community of the Diocese of Sourozh in Leeds for divine services, the Right Reverend Archpastor was met by the Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh, Dean of the Diocesan District of Northern England, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, churcharden of the Parish German Rosenfeld and Treasurer of the Parish Kristina Tambovska. 

At the Divine Liturgy His Grace was assisted by Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, Rector of the Parish Priest Anatoly Vikhrov, Rector of the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Newcastle, Priest Viktor Akhryapin, and cleric of the Dormition Cathedral in London, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch. 

The divine service was conducted in Church Slavonic and English.

After the prayer after the communion, Bishop Matthew and the concelebrating clergy performed a glorification of the Holy Martyr John.

After the dismissal, the Rector, Priest Anatoly, addressed the Right Reverend Vladyka with a welcoming speech. As a token of gratitude for the archpastoral visit, on behalf of the parishioners, Fr. Anatoly presented Vladyka with a bouquet of flowers and a commemorative album about the life of the Holy Martyr John of Riga.

In his response, the Right Reverend Archpastor expressed joy at communicating with the clergy of the Northern English deanery and the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church living in Leeds and its environs.  Bishop Matthew presented the parish with an icon of the holy martyr John with a particle of his holy relics, noting that it was on the day of his memory that the hierarchical Liturgy was celebrated in the parish of Leeds, which is mainly made up of Orthodox believers from Latvia and other Baltic countries. 

In recognition of many years of diligent work for the benefit of the Russian Orthodox Church, the parish treasurer K.V. Tambovska was awarded the Bishop's Certificate. 

All participants in the service were given printed copies of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, located at the Dormition Cathedral in London. 

At the end, a meal was held, organized by the parish community. 

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